Supreme Martial Venerable: Starting with the White Ape Cloak Hammer skill point allocation

A middle-aged man stood awkwardly, holding a crossbow in his hand.

The crossbow was made primarily of hard mulberry wood, polished smooth throughout, and about three feet two inches long. A cast-iron stirrup protruded from the bow, shaped like a spearhead. Two sandalwood bow tips on either side were curved in shallow arcs, reinforced with reinforcing wire, and the coarse hemp-silk bowstring was taut and straight. A bronze trigger mechanism, its outline resembling a horse's head, was embedded in the middle of the crossbow.

With a clang, a flash of cold light, and the crossbow bolt shot out.

Before the sound had even faded, the crossbow bolt had already accurately struck the target dozens of paces away, the arrowhead piercing through several layers of leather armor and embedding itself firmly in the center of the wooden bullseye.

"With its horse-faced head and fangs, capable of piercing armor at a hundred paces, it truly lives up to its reputation as a divine crossbow."

The middle-aged man exclaimed, "Yunlong, you have done a great service to the family this time."

The power of this divine crossbow is such that even a martial artist who has broken through four levels would find it difficult to withstand if caught off guard.

If every city guard had one, even I, an old man, would have to give way.

"Serving the family is Yunlong's inescapable responsibility."

Pang Yunlong straightened up and said seriously, "However, Seventh Master, although I had someone forge a Divine Arm Crossbow according to the records in the 'Collection of Military Aids,' the forging process of this Divine Arm Crossbow is complicated and the cost is high. It is not easy to mass-produce it."

"High construction costs are a problem."

The middle-aged man pondered for a moment, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"Press these families in Gaoshan County a little harder and make them cough up more silver."

Regarding manpower, this time I've allocated more slots to outer disciples of the Divine Weapon Valley, recruiting them under the guise of a test to have them forge the Divine Arm Crossbow.

He said coldly.

The middle-aged man was also a member of the Pang family of Shenbing Valley. His name was Pang Yuanyou, and his strength and status were far superior to Pang Yunlong's.

"With five hundred Divine Arm Crossbows, our Pang family can control Divine Weapon Valley. Those who submit to us will prosper, and those who oppose us will perish!"

Pang Yuan said with a confident expression.

Pang Yunlong opened his mouth, a question lingering in his mind, but he didn't dare to ask it aloud.

Although the "Collection of Military Skills" is a closely guarded secret in the valley, and even the Pang family had no one qualified to access it before, there are still a few people in the valley who have studied the "Collection of Military Skills". Does that mean the valley has no reserves of divine weapons?

Can the Divine Arm Crossbow really wreak havoc everywhere?

Pang Yunlong couldn't understand it, but he was just a minor figure in the Pang family, and these things were none of his business.

He has already found the "Collection of Military Skills" for his family. As long as the Divine Arm Crossbow is forged, once the Pang family controls the Divine Weapon Valley, he will surely rise to great heights.

…………

Liu Jin, quite drunk, walked toward the brothel, surrounded by Guo Liang and his companions.

Previously in the prefectural capital, he had to carefully serve that ugly and fat young lady from a collateral branch of the Pang family every day. Now that he finally had some freedom, Liu Jin wanted to enjoy it too.

With his physique from breaking through the barrier four times, he could easily play seven times in one night.

Since leaving the prefectural capital, Liu Jin has been surrounded by admirers wherever he goes, which gives him great satisfaction.

He enjoys the feeling of being high above others and being admired. He's willing to pay any price to climb to the top.

"Guo Liang, tomorrow you go to the prefectural capital and bring Officer Xu back. He's a famous detective in Jiangzhou; I refuse to believe he can't find evidence that Zhou Yuan killed my brother!"

Liu Jin swaggered along, not forgetting to give instructions to Guo Liang.

"Don't worry, Brother Jin. I'm sure the murderer is Zhou Yuan. We'll definitely find the evidence."

Guo Liang said with a fawning smile, "Brother Jin, although the Zhuo family is in ruins, that Miss Zhuo is incredibly beautiful, with a stunning figure and face. After you kill Zhou Yuan, have her serve you, Brother Jin—"

"Liangzi, you're a sensible person. I'll treat you well when I become successful."

Liu Jin's face showed a greedy look, and he licked his lips.

"Clang!"

A crisp sound of a bowstring broke the silence of the night.

Almost the instant the bowstring rang out, Guo Liang's body flew up as if struck by a galloping horse, crashing heavily into the brick wall beside him.

The dull sound echoed through the street. Guo Liang looked down blankly and saw a crossbow bolt piercing his chest, pinning him to the wall.

Blood flowed down the mottled wall, and Guo Liang collapsed like a limp rag doll.

"Jin—Brother Jin, help—"

Before I could even utter a word, Guo Liang's head drooped, and he breathed his last.

"Who goes there?!"

Liu Jin broke out in a cold sweat, sobering up completely, and looked around in a panic.

His response was another snapping sound of a bowstring being released.

Before Liu Jin could react, a crossbow bolt shot out from the darkness, reaching him at incredible speed.

The arrow, its tip gleaming with a cold light, was reflected in Liu Jin's pupils.

In the blink of an eye, the instincts of a master who had broken through four levels of cultivation erupted, and his body suddenly shifted sideways by a foot.

"Pfft!"

Amidst the sound of an arrow tearing through flesh, Liu Jinfa let out a painful scream.

Although the crossbow bolt avoided the fatal spot on his left chest, it still pierced his right chest, exiting instantly and embedding itself in the wall with a spray of blood.

If it were an ordinary person, they would have completely lost the ability to resist by now.

But Liu Jin was, after all, a formidable figure who passed the martial arts examination four times.

He endured the excruciating pain in his right chest, kicked his legs hard, and pounced like a hungry wolf toward the direction from which the bowstring was coming.

The sound of foot pedaling the iron stirrup to cock the crossbow came from behind.

Both sides are racing against time.

Ding Ding Deng!

Liu Jin had already seen the figure crouching on the roof ridge. His eyes were filled with murderous intent. He leaped into the air and punched the assassin toward the head.

In the face of life and death, Liu Jin's punch even produced a sonic boom, capable of piercing through a steel plate with a single blow.

Just then.

The assassin on the roof suddenly raised his arm.

The crossbow is ready to be cocked!

Liu Jin leaped into the air, only a foot away from the assassin, but the crossbow bolt was already aimed at his head.

Liu Jin's eyes were filled with anger and resentment.

"Clang!"

The crossbow bolt pierced Liu Jin's forehead and exited through the back of his head, taking away the anger and resentment in his eyes and leaving only deep despair.

Liu Jin's body crashed to the ground like a tattered sack. Only then did the other followers react and open their mouths to call for help.

In the blink of an eye, the assassin on the rooftop didn't have time to reload his crossbow. He pushed off with both feet and his body flew down with lightning speed.

Snapped!

A deep, booming sound suddenly erupted in the air, and a person felt as if they had been hit by a bull, flying into the air before they could even scream.

Zhou Yuan stomped on the bluestone slab and shattered it. As he twisted his body, his joints cracked like firecrackers.

His arm slammed down like a mace onto the neck of another follower. With such violent force, the man's cervical vertebrae shattered instantly, and his head slumped limply to one side.

In the blink of an eye, Liu Jin and his three followers were all dead.

Zhou Yuan's eyes were cold. He held a crossbow in one hand and quickly searched the four corpses with the other.

Before the patrolling city guards could spot him, he had already vanished into the dark alleyway in a flash.

…………